One of my favorite things about editing Verseve is getting to look behind the curtain and see what makes a piece of writing fly. Sometimes inspiration comes from a deep place, and other times it’s as simple as stepping outside and looking at your neighbor’s yard.

In his poem “Instructions for a Butterfly Playground,” poet Duane Anderson takes an observational approach to the natural world. Instead of turning wildlife into heavy metaphors, the butterflies and goldfinches in his poem are simply part of the scene, captured with quiet clarity.

When I asked Duane about the poem, he shared that it came straight from real life:

“It’s a personal experience based on my neighbor’s jungle yard, which does attract butterflies and also goldfinches.”

Amazing noticing the wild pockets of nature right next door. Duane lets the scene speak for itself, offering readers a moment to slow down and just observe.

You can read his poem in the Verseve Butterflies Anthology

Discover Duane’s Work
You can read more of Duane Anderson’s poetry online over at Modern Literature.